Matrix for typographical machines



Dec. 24, 1935. B SMYLE 2,025,694

MATRIX FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Filed Oct. 25, 1934 INVENTOR fiervgz-dt 57 [e ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES OFFICE Intertype Corporation, Brooklyn,

poration of New York N. Y; a cor- Application October 25, 1934, Serial No. 749,972

21 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in character bearing matrices of the kind commonly employed in slug casting machines for producing type bars or slugs, matrices for this purpose being alined side by side in a vise or other suitable holderfor clamping them endwise, and presented, with their characters alined, to the casting slot of a slug casting mold into which molten metal is injected against their character bearing edges, an example of such machine being disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 436,532, granted September 16, 1890.

More particularly, the invention relates to a novel form of matrix for the casting of italic or inclined characters, the improved matrix being so constructed as to practically and successfully enable type characters of any size having the proper or true italic inclination to be cast therefrom either in groups of such characters or mixed with roman characters in the same line, and to adapt the matrices more readily than heretofore to produce accurately alined characters and to better cooperate with the vise or holder which presents them to the slug casting mold.

Italic character bearing matrices heretofore proposed have had the side faces of their body inclined, either for the part of the body height to which the character is applied or substantially over the entire length of their sides, with the result that when clamped together endwise preparatory to the casting operation, the side faces of adjacent matrices either fail to contact at all points, or the matrices slide sufficiently up or down in the direction of their inclination to throw the characters out of alignment. Further, when in certain types of machines the inclined form of matrices are supported on rails by their ears projecting from the top edges, they readily swing and separate due to their center of mass being out of line with the supporting ears, such conditions being particularly objectionable prior to entering the matrices between the line confining jaws of the machine. Also, when the usual upward lift is applied to the upper matrix ears to effect the usual vertical alinement of the characters of the matrices in the line, immediately prior to the casting operation, the circumstance that the lower ears of such matrices which engage the alim'ng rails are out of vertical alinement with the upper ears thereof, due to the inclined form of the matrix body, tends to swing the matrices by the resultant force, toward a vertical position, thereby disturbing the alinement of the matrices in the line.

The present invention overcomes the foregoing defects and objections, it providing an italic character bearing matrix with full length front and rear body sections, preferably integral, the front section carrying the italic character and being suitably inclined for that purpose, and the rear section being vertical to present vertical instead of inclined contacting side faces, both sections being provided with ears at the top in order to support the matrix truly vertical at all times, and with ears at the bottom on one or both sections which lower ears are vertically below the upper ones of the vertical body section of the matrix, the projecting ears in all instances preferably being of the full width of the respective body sections.

The invention also provides novel filling or spacing elements adapted to be assembled with the improved-matrix to provide a vertical face for an adjacent side of its inclined body section, as required at the end of a word or line, and to provide vertical side faces to cooperate with the corresponding faces on the vertical body section of the improvedmatrix.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the advantages to be derived from the characteristic features mentioned and hereinafter more fully described may be obtained in whole or in part by varying the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment nor to any particular form of matrix within the general class adapted for use with slug casting machines, but may include any equivalent form or embodiment within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front edge view of a matrix prior to forming the sides at an incline as required for an italic character;

Fig. 1a is a top plan view of the matrix shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 shows the matrix in Fig. 1 after forming the inclined body section thereon according to this invention;

Fig. 2a is a top plan view of the matrix shown in Fig. 2; V

Fig. 3 is a right side elevation of the matrix shown in Fig. 2; V

Fig. 4 is a front edge view of a relatively thin italic matrix formed according to the present invention;

Figs, 5 and 5a are edge views respectively of a blank matrix and the spacing element formed therefrom to cooperate with the left side of the improved italic matrix as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Figs. 6 and 6a are edge views respectively of a blank matrix, and the spacing element formed therefrom to cooperate with the right side of the improved italic matrix as shown in Figs. 2 and 4;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a composed line of the italic matrices and spacing elements of this invention as the line would appear in the machine in condition for casting; and

Fig. 8 is a front edge view of two matrices made in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

Since it is immaterial so far as the present invention is concerned whether the matrix be of the well known kind having combination teeth on opposite sides of a V shaped notch at the upper end or whether it be devoid of such teeth or even of the notch, the invention is shown as applied to a matrix I, Fig. l with an untoothed V notch 2, Fig. 3 at the top and-upper and lower lugs or ears 3 and 4 respectively, projecting from the parallel front and rear edges 5 and 6.

According to the present invention, the italic character, for example the letter L, either in intaglio or cameo, although an intaglio character is shown, is applied on the front edge 5 of the matrix l, (Fig. 1) having parallel vertical side faces I and 8, the width of the matrix edge being slightly more than necessary to receive the character at the proper italic inclination. The side face 1 of the matrix in Fig. 1 is then cut away to form a face 9, Fig. 2 perpendicular to the edge 5 but at the inclination of the italic character thereon and adjacent to the nearest extremity of the character. The side face 8 is correspondingly cut away to form a face ID perpendicular to the edge 5 but parallel to the face 9 and adjacent to the nearest extremity of the character at that side. The inclined 'face 10, however, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2a, extends toward the rear edge 6 a distance slightly more than onehalf the width of the side face 8 and intersects this face somewhat above the lower end of the matrix. To complete the formation of the matrix according to the invention, the side face I is cut away perpendicular to the rear edge 6 (or to the front edge 5 which is parallel to it) for a distance toward the front edge 5 slightly more than one-half its width to form a face ll parallel to the side face 8 and intersecting the face 9 at the same distance above the lower end of the matrix and the rear edge l2 parallel thereto, and the other, a rear body section integral with the front section and defined by parallel vertical sides 8 and II, the rear edge 6 and a front edge l3 parallel thereto. It will be noted too that since the faces 9 and IQ of the inclined front body section intersect the faces H and 8 respectively of the rear vertical body section at the same distance from the bottom end of the matrix, the front and rear body sections are exactly the same width when measured horizontally across the front and rear faces 5 and 6 of the matrix.

It will also be observed that the upper and lower projecting lugs or ears 3 and 4 respectively on the matrix in Fig. 1 have been retained on the front and rear body sections, reduced in extent, of course, by the amounts cut away from the matrix in Fig. l to form the two body sections. For convenience in the description to follow, the upper and lower ears on the front inclined body section will be hereinafter designated as 3 and 4 respectively, and the upper and lower ears on the rear vertical body section will be designated 3 and 4, respectively, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.

By retaining the 'upper ears 3 and 3 on the inclined and vertical body sections, respectively, support is provided for the matrix over its entire width, so that when suspended by these ears on the usual supporting rails A, it is apparent that it will hang stably at all times, the front body section carrying the italic character being held from swinging out of its normal or fixed inclined position due to the connected rear body section being retained in a true vertical position by the upper ear 3'" thereon resting on the rail. The stability of the matrix due to this disposition of supporting ears, not necessarily continuous over the full body width of each section but at least at points adjacent to its widest portions, has the further advantage of keeping the inclined body section constantly disposed at the angle it must occupy in presenting the italic character to the mold. Thus, instead of requiring the italic matrices to be swung to the proper inclination to bring their side faces into contact as heretofore, the improved construction herein described allows the matrices, once assembled side by side, to always maintain full contact between the sides faces of both the inclined and vertical body sections, and it is of particular importance that these side faces are flat or unbroken over the entire extent of their contact with one another.

Referring to Fig. '7, a group of matrices constructed according to the invention, as well as spacing elements later to be described, is shown standing as they would appear between end abutments B and C which press or clamp them together ready for the casting operation, these abutments representing, for example, the usual vise jaws of the machine disclosed in the aforementioned patent. It will be apparent from this figure that the fiat or unbroken parallel side faces 8 and ll of the respective vertical body sections at the rear of the matrices and the similar side faces 9 and ID of the respective inclined body sections at the front contact over their full extent when the line of matrices is clamped or pressed together endwise as usual by the abutments B and C. Tendency of the inclined body sections to slide and disturb vertical alinement of the characters on a group or line of matrices is overcome by the concurrent contact of the integral vertical and inclined body sections, and the fact that the vertical body sections provide abutting surfaces perpendicular to the clamping pressure applied endwise. In fact, the full length vertically disposed rear body sections are the equivalent of the usual vertical matrix for roman characters and the addition of this section toany italic or inclined body matrix gives highly important advantages not obtainable in any other way.

Apart from the above advantage derived from the vertically disposed body section on italic matrices, it will be evident from Figs. 2 and 7 that vertical alinement of the characters on the improved italic matrices is eifected, not indirectly as by pulling upwardly on ears only at the tops of the inclined bodies, as heretofore, but by a direct upward pull on the cars at the tops of the full length vertically disposed body sections. Thus, when the usual rails A are given an upward movement to effect alinement, the pull exerted on the upper ear 3 of the vertical body section of the matrix is transmitted in a direct vertical line to the lower ear 4 on the front body section, which ear is located forwardly of the ear 3 but in the same vertical plane with it, the top surface of the ear 4 alining against a suitable rib D on the moldas usual.

The vertical body section is not only advantageous for the reasons already pointed out but it is essential for obtaining direct action upwardly for alining purposes when considering italic matrices which are relatively thin. For example, the matrix shown in Fig. 4 with the italic letter I has no part of the upper ear 3 on the inclined body section disposed vertically above the lower alining ear M at the front. This condition will be true whenever the italic character is wide enough to cause the plane of the inclined face H] to cross that of the vertical face H below the top end of the matrix. Accordingly, the vertical body section carrying the upper ear 3 supports this ear in position to permit a direct vertical upward pull on the matrix for alinement purposes when the inclined body is relatively narrow.

As previously stated, the vertical side face H extends toward the front edge 5 of the matrix slightly more than one-half the width of the face 1 and the side face In extends toward the rear edge 6 slightly more than one-half the width of the face 8 of the matrix. The purpose of this is to simplify manufacture of the matrices by providing a clearance between the front and rear edges [2 and I3 respectively of the front'and rear body sections of adjacent matrices, thus eliminating the necessity of a fine degree of accuracy where such is not required. The dot and dash lines in Fig. 2a represent the outlines of a matrix adjacent to that shown in full lines and indicates the clearance provided between the edges I2 and 13.

Figs. 5a and 6a show the filling pieces or spacers suitable for filling out the irregular side faces of the matrix to present fiat vertical surfaces to cooperate with like surfaces at the vertical sides of matrices bearing roman characters and with the vertical faces of the abutments B "and C. Each of these filling elements has the configuration of the matrix as it appears in Fig. 3 so that it may be retained and alined by means of projecting ears like those on the matrix. The spacer 2| shown in Fig. 5a is formed from the blank matrix shown in Fig. 5 by cutting one face thereof to a form complemental to the left side of the matrix in Fig. 2, and the spacer 22 in Fig. 6a is formed from the blank shown in Fig. 6 by cutting one of its faces to a form complemental to the right side of the matrix in Fig. 2. In Fig. 7, a spacer 2| is shown adjacent to the abutment C and a spacer 22 adjacent to the abutment B, these spacers serving to square the opposite irregular sides of the end matrices in each instance to suit the vertical faces of the abutments.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the improved matrix enables italic characters, whether large or small in size, to stand at the true italic inclination and in closely spaced relation which is most desirable for good typographical appearance, adjacent characters overlying one another vertically due to the natural italic slope or incline in one direction. It will be apparent, however, that the inclined front body section provided by the present invention may 5 slope in the opposite direction to that shown should it be desired to accommodate backwardly sloping characters. Also, the opposite sides of the front body section may be inclined in opposite directions (diverging upwardly or down- 10 wardly) to accommodate roman characters with sloping sides or which are wider at one end than the other, such as the letters A, W, T, V, J, Y, etc., the inclined side faces then permitting these characters to overlie one another vertically 15 and thus appear in the desired closely spaced relation and the vertical sides of the rear body portions providing vertical contacting faces between adjacent matrices in the same manner as accomplished by the invention in the case of the 20 italic character bearing matrices.

The matrices as they would appear according to the invention when provided with roman characters are shown in Fig. 8 of the drawing wherein it will be seen that for the letter T which is 25 wider at the top than at the bottom the side faces 9 and lil of the front body section diverge downwardly from the top toward the bottom of the matrix whereas in the case of the letter A, the side faces 9 and lfl of the front body sec- 30 tion diverge upwardly from the bottom toward the top of the matrix. The rear. body sections of these matrices have vertical sides, like those of the matrices hereinbefore described. The spacers 2| and 22, of course, will be complemental 35 respectively to the left and right sides of the matrices in Fig. 8.

I claim as my invention:

1. A matrix for slug casting machines having a body portion the side faces of which are in- 40 clined at one edge for a portion of the front to rear depth of the matrix and vertical at the other edge for another portion of the front to rear depth of the matrix.

2. 'A matrix for slug casting machines having (.5 a body portion with a character bearing edge the sides of which are inclined to the vertical for a portion of the front to rear depth of the matrix and an adjacent body portion the sides of which are vertical for another portion of the front to rear depth of the matrix.

3. A matrix for slug casting machines having adjoining front and rear longitudinally extending body sections angularly disposed relatively to one another. V

4. A matrix for slug casting machines having connected front and rear body sections of equal width horizontally between their side faces, one section being vertical and the other section being inclined.

5. A matrix for slug casting machines having front and rear body sections angularly disposed relatively to one another, each section having parallel sides which intersect at one end of the matrix.

6. A matrix for slug casting machines having a body comprising front and rear sections each with. parallel sides, the front section having an inclined character on its edge and having its sides disposed at the inclination of said character, and the rear section being disposed vertically.

7. A matrix for slug casting machines having a front body portion with side faces lying in parallel planes inclined to the vertical and a rear 76 body portion with side faces in parallel vertical planes, the planes of the respective corresponding side faces intersecting adjacent to the lower end of the matrix.

5 8. A matrix for slug casting machines having a front character bearing edge with parallel side faces inclined to the vertical and a rear edge parallel to the front edge with parallel side faces extending vertically from the bottom of the -matrix.

9. A matrix for slug casting machines having a body provided with ears projecting from its front and rear edges at the top and bottom ends, the ears projecting from the front edge being l5 -offset vertically and the ears projecting from the rear edge being alined vertically.

10. A matrix for slug casting machines having a body provided with ears projecting outwardly from its front and rear edges at the top and bot- 20 tom of the body, the ears at the top of the front and rear edges being laterally offset and the ears at the bottom of said edges being laterally alined.

11. A matrix for slug casting machines having a body portion the front edge of which has its 25 sides inclined to the vertical and is provided with outwardly projecting ears at the top and bottom thereof, and the rear edge of which is vertical and is provided with outwardly projecting cars at the top and bottom thereof.

30 12. A matrix for slug casting machines having parallel front and rear edges each provided with outwardly projecting ears at the top and bottom ends thereof, the sides adjacent the front edge being inclined to the vertical and defining 35 the sides of the upper and lower ears on the front edge, and the sides adjacent to the rear edge being disposed vertically and defining the sides of the upper and lower ears at the rear edge.

40;, 13. A matrix for slug casting machines comprising a body having its side faces inclined at one edge and vertical at the other edge and having upper and lower ears projecting outwardly from each edge adjacent to the respective side 45 faces.

14. A matrix for slug casting machines having a body with parallel front and rear edges of different lengths, the top and bottom ends of the edges terminating respectively in the same par- 50 1allel upper and lower planes.

15. A matrix for slug casting machines comprising a body having parallel front and rear edges and having parallel side faces inclined adjacent to the front edge and extending more 55. "than half Way toward the rear edge and parallel side faces disposed vertically adjacent to the rear edge and extending more than half way toward the front edge, the side faces being perpendicular to the respective edges.

16. A matrix for slug casting machines comprising an inclined front body portion and a vertically disposed rear body portion presenting parallel front and rear edges and provided with ears projecting outwardly at the top and bottom of 5 the edges of. each body portion, the ears at the bottom coinciding laterally over their full extent across the front and rear edges and the ears at the top coinciding laterally over only a portion of their extent across the front and rear edges. 10

17. A matrix for slug casting machines having a body portion inclined to the vertical from the bottom toward the top of the matrix and presenting an inclined character bearing edge with vertically offset upper and lower ears projecting forwardly therefrom, and an ear projecting from the rear edge of the matrix in vertical alinement with the ear at the bottom of the inclined body portion.

18. A matrix for slug casting machines having a body presenting a character bearing edge at the front with parallel sides inclinded to the vertical adjacent to said edge, upper and lower ears projecting forwardly from the top and bottom of said edge, and an ear projecting rearwardly from the matrix body in vertical alinement with the ear at the bottom of the inclined front edge.

19. A matrix for slug casting machines having a body with a front character bearing edge having parallel sides inclined to the vertical, and with a rear edge parallel to the front edge having vertical sides intersecting the inclined sides of the front edge near the bottom of the matrix body, horizontally disposed upper and lower ears projecting outwardly from the edges and terminating along the respective inclined and vertical sides of the matrix body.

20. In or for a slug casting machine, a matrix comprising a front character bearing portion a side of which, for a portion of the depth between the front and rear edges of the matrix, is inclined to the vertical and a rear portion a side of which, for another portion of the depth between the front and rear edges of the matrix at the height of said character bearing portion, is vertical.

21. In or for a slug casting machine, a matrix having a body portion the side faces of which are inclined at one edge for a part of the front to rear depth of the matrix and vertical at the other edge for another part of the front to rear depth of the matrix, and a spacer comprising a body one side of which is provided in different portions of its depth between its front and rear edges with inclined and vertical portions complemental to the inclined and verticalside portions respectively of the matrix and the other side of. which is in a common vertical plane.

IBERNHARDT SMYLE. 

